A Dangerous Man
by Tinni
Summary: How Shinji met Aizen
1. Chapter 1

**A Dangerous Man**

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing!

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"You never took Aizen-sensei's calligraphy class? You missed out! That was the best class there was in the Academy."

"I heard he was very good. I had him for Kido of course and loved it. He's by far the best sensei in the Academy."

"I heard he went into teaching straight after graduating from the Academy. Lots of students looked down on him for that to begin with. You know, wondering if teaching was all he's good for since he never joined the Gotei 13 or Kido Corps, can't really see him in the Omnitsukido, but then he would subtly put the students in their place and you just know that he is in the academy by choice."

"Yeah, most definitely. He seems to really enjoy teaching. I also hear he's really into research. I think remaining at the academy just gives him more freedom to do the things he likes."

About then the two Shinigami moved out of Shinji's ear-shot as they moved away from Shinji's open window. A drop of ink fell on the letter Shinji was writing form the brush that stood suspended in mid-air. The blot on the paper brought Shinji back to his senses as he quickly moved to rescue the letter from further harm, absently wonder why the off-hand conversation between two recruits had arrested his attention so much.  


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His vice-captain was getting married. It was a joyous occasion and Shinji would be celebrating it whole heartedly if his vice-captain hadn't also tended his resignation in the same breath he announced his upcoming marriage. Apparently his vice-captain was keen to start a family, so both he and his future wife had decided to resign their commission in the Gotei 13 - something they could do given their years of service, and go into business. He did go into detail about his business but Shinji hadn't paid enough attention, his mind pre-occupied with the thought of how best to fill his soon to be vacant Vice-captain position. Unbidden the memory of the conversation he had over-heard came to his mind but Shinji pushed it aside, not all together sure why he was remembering it at a time like this. Even if this Aizen-sensei was as good as his students said he was, it didn't mean he was good enough to be a vice-captain of the Gotei 13. Besides, there was probably a waiting list of candidates for the next opening for Vice-captain. Just as Shinji was resolving to apply for the list from Captain-commander Yamamoto, his dutiful vice-captain said to him, " I know this is all very sudden, Captain," said the man, "And I apologies deeply for inconveniencing you. But I will do all in my power to make this a smooth transition and minimise any inconvenience. To that end I have already applied for the list of candidates for Vice-captain based on the latest set of test score."

"Helpful as ever!" exclaimed Shinji happily, "Ya gonna be missed, that's fer sure!" he declared, "I hope ya wife knows what a catch she landed."

His vice-captain grinned, "She is a great catch too!" he assured his captain, "Now the top most name on the list is one Aizen Souske," Shinji's was startled to his core when that name came-up again, but his pre-occupied vice-captain didn't notice, "But he's sensei at the Academy. He scored full marks in everything but he doesn't have any actual field experience. I did some investigating, apparently Aizen-sensei takes the test regularly as almost a hobby. If he's serious about joining the Gotei 13, he certainly hasn't shown it. He was offered the Vice-captaincy of the 4th squad some years back, but he turned it down. Apparently he didn't think he had the right temperament for the 4th squad. I think that was mistake on his part. 4th Squad is the only squad I would ever make him an untried academic the vice-captain of. I think you should give him the skip and..."

"I think," interjected Shinji, "I would like ta meet with this Aizen Souske," he said, "he's on top of the list. It'll be rude ta not consider him at all."

"You are of course correct, captain," his vice-captain said promptly, "I will make the arrangements as soon as possible," with that he left the room. Leaving Shinji to wonder if the turn of events did not feel a lot like divine will.

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**Author's note: **This wasn't suppose to be a multi-part story. But I am struggling a lot to write this. So I figured I might as well do this in a couple of chapters. The idea for this fic basically came from chapter 391, where Aizen mentioned him teaching Shinigami precepts at the Academy. The only known teaching job Aizen had was that of a part-time calligraphy teacher but it didn't seem enough to justify him brining up his position as a teacher in the middle of combat. I mean, sure calligraphy isn't just calligraphy in Japan, it's partly philosophy as well but still. So I thought to myself what if he was in the Academy up until Shinji made him Vice-captain. It would explain a few things. Like, how is it that Aizen could so effectively hide the true power of his zanpakuto and his true power in-general. How he seems to come out of "nowhere" etc, etc. Academia is a surprisingly effective place to hide and would allow Aizen to lay low until the right opportunity presented itself so that he could make his move. More over he would have access to young, impressionable shinigami who he could mould to suit his purposes. Anyway, all this convinced me to write a story about how Shinji recruited Aizen-sensei of the Shinigami Academy. The title of the fic come from chapter -99 and Shinji's line, addressed to Aizen, that reads "I always thought you were dangerous and couldn't be trusted..." 


	2. Chapter 2

**A Dangerous Man**

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing!

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Shinji sent his Vice-captain to Aizen first. His captain had two tasks, firstly to see if Aizen Souske was interested in the Vice-captaincy of squad five and to learn a bit more about Aizen's history from him before Shinji made official requests for his details. Aizen was more then receptive to the idea of becoming the Vice-captain of the 5th. Aizen's history was short but not necessarily simple. Officially, he was part of the Gotei 13, having joined the Gotei 13 and Squad one straight after graduating from the Shinigami Academy himself. Alas! He had not been happy in squad one. He attributed his unhappiness to his own youthful impatience and insolence, conceding that he thought he had joined the Gotei 13 too early. So it was that when the kido instructor of the Shinigami Academy retired, just one year after Aizen had joined the Gotei 13, he applied to the Captain-commander Yamamoto and Central 46 to be "seconded" to the Shinigami Academy as a Kido instructor.

The process of secondment to the Academy was not all that rare. Often Shinigami, both seated and unseated, who were looking for a change would get themselves seconded to the Academy for a time. It was a win-win situation for all. The Shinigami in question got a chance to do something else for a time and the Shinigami Academy got an instructor who not only had field experience and was still active, but also an instructor who they didn't have to pay, since the Shinigami's salary was still paid from the coffers of the Gotei 13. Secondments usually did not last more then a year. Aizen's, however, had lasted well over a decade. It was time he returned fully to the Gotei 13 and Aizen Souske was keen to return as the Vice-captain of Squad five.

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"Very good Katsura-kun," said Aizen to one of his young charges, "But next time, aim just a little higher."

"Yes, Aizen-sensei," replied Katsura as the young Shinigami in training gazed-up at Aizen with worshipful adoration.

Aizen gave her a warm smile before moving on. "I am glad you are challenging yourself Okamura-kun, but perhaps it is too early for you to be skipping the incantation," Aizen gently suggested.

"Of... of course, Aizen-sensei," replied the embarrassed and apologetic Okamura, "I will practice more before I try to perform a chant-less kido again."

Aizen rewarded him with a warm smile too before address the class as a whole, "That is all for today, but I encourage you all to follow Okamura-kun's lead and practice more, so that we can all move on to performing chant-less kido as soon as possible."

"Yes, Aizen-sensei," his students said in unison before he dismissed them with a slight bow of his head.

As Aizen made his way to his office, he heard an unfamiliar voice say, "Well ain't cha good with the kids. Now I feel bad about even think'n about tak'n ya away from 'em."

Aizen turned around and presented Shinji with a respectful bow, "Greetings Captain Hirako, I was not expecting you yet."

"I thought I would come a little early and check out yer class. Ya sure ya want to leave 'em?"

"As I explained to your Vice-captain, Captain Hirako, I am ready to return," said Aizen, "I have... learnt all I can from the Academy."

"What's that supposed ta mean?" wondered Shinji, "An why now and not two years ago when ya were offered the Vice-captaincy of Squad four."

"I am afraid, Captain Hirako, you are entirely mistaken," said Aizen with a respectful bow, "I was never offered the Vice-captaincy of Squad four outright. Captain Unohana did approach me regarding the vice-captaincy of squad four on condition that I undertake and pass an intensive healing kido training course personally with her. I had some knowledge of basic healing kido, the kind that is taught to many students here in the Academy. But my knowledge would be woeful in Squad four, so the training course was a necessity and without it, I would be a most inadequate Vice-captain of Squad four."

"So what happened?" wondered Shinji, "Ya didn't pass?"

"No, I passed but after going through the course, I realised that I was not cut out to be a healer. Being a healer, Captain Hirako, is more then just the ability to cast healing kido spells, those I can now do as well as any Squad four shinigami, save for Captain Unohana and perhaps her Vice-captain, but I am no healer," explained Aizen, "Captain Unohana agreed with me and we mutually decided to drop the subject of my joining her squad as her vice-captain."

"I can understand that," said Shinji, "I ain't much of a healer either and I ain't say'n that cause I can't cast heal'n kido. But ya didn't answer ma first question, what'cha mean by ya have learnt all ya can from the Academy?"

"Exactly what I said Captain Hirako, it has been a number of years since I have felt that the Academy has nothing left to teach me," said Aizen, "I returned to the Academy because I felt ill prepared to be part of the Gotei 13. I referred the solitude Academy life offered to the camaraderie being part of a squad offered. I preferred studying hollows to killing them and I wanted to spend more time studying the four battle techniques of the Shinigami more then using them in combat. Afterall, teachers are as much pupil here in the Academy as the students they teach," Aizen continued, "But now I no longer feel like a pupil. I have reached the limits of what I can learn from this place and I have had a fill of the solitude I once craved. It is time for me to move on."

Shinji nodded, he spent a moment in thought before saying, "Well I'm convinced. But before I give ya the job, I want ta test how ya do in battle, especially when leading. We have couple a missions com'n up involv'n hunting down some tricky hollows that have been giving the shinigami sent to hunt them the slip. Ya up for leading 'em? I'll be present too, of course. But ya would be in-charge. I'll just be there ta stand around and look pretty."

"I am honoured, Captain Hirako, that you are giving me this chance," said Aizen with a slight bow, "I gratefully accept your proposition."

"Good," said Shinji, "I'll send ya the details," with that they parted way.

As he walked back to the Seireitei Shinji tried to pin-point the cause of his deep unease but he could not. Shinji did not know why he felt what he felt but he knew with certainty that Aizen Souske was a dangerous man who could not be trusted. But that was not a reason not to give him the vice-captaincy, indeed, that was even more of a reason to give him the vice-captaincy. Shinji would keep Aizen close, keep him close and watch him carefully. Yes, that is exactly what he would do.

* * *

Aizen waited until he had reached the sanctuary of his room before indulging in the smile that had been threatening to reveal his true face to those surrounding him. Hirako Shinji was an interesting man. From the moment Aizen had laid eyes upon him, Aizen had picked up the subtle signs of deep mistrust that Shinji betrayed despite his best efforts. Yet Shinji had gone on to sincerely offer him the position of Vice-captain or rather, sincerely give him the chance to win the Vice-captaincy. It was but the work of a moment for Aizen to guess Shinji's motivation and Shinji's motives would work into Aizen's plans. Yes, Hirako Shinji really was a godsend.  


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**Author's note:** Well that's it for this fic! Hey! I went an entire fic without mentioning Gin! See! I am not obsessed! 


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